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墨書 Inktalez
As the mudslide surged forward with an unstoppable force, Xu Nuan's mind went blank for a few seconds, and those seconds felt almost fatal.
Just as she was about to be engulfed by the mudslide, Xu Nuan instinctively jumped out, using the remnants of wood and stones floating on the surface to climb up into a tree.
The tree was neither thick nor thin, and with Xu Nuan on it, it barely managed to hold its ground amidst the rushing mudslide.
When this wave of mud finally subsided, Xu Nuan realized she was at the center of a precarious mountainside that could collapse at any moment. Looking around, she found that only the tree she was clinging to stood defiantly; everything else had been swallowed by the mudslide.
And as she looked around, she inevitably spotted Gu Ze and a few others safe and sound, not too far away. She could barely make out Gu Ze's expression as he stood at the front.
Anxiety and regret, worry and unease.
Xu Nuan blinked, feeling a bit amused. No matter how many faces Gu Ze had, he remained that man who cared for his companions. In this regard, she still had much to learn from him.
She couldn't hear their discussions, but for the first time in a dangerous situation, someone was there to save her.
In the beginning, she had followed He Min and Yu Hao like a shadow, constantly learning and improving, striving not to put herself in danger. Later on, they parted ways, and each time she found herself in peril, she could only rely on herself. Back then, her only thought was that if she couldn't come up with a solution, her life would end there. Eventually, she encountered the Third Batch of Players; as a temporary team member, she always maintained a distance from them. In any situation, she only analyzed whether her own abilities could cope without considering anyone else.
Her encounters and separations with He Min marked a turning point—a chance for her to begin accepting the Third Batch of Players. Although she didn't know how far they could go or how long this relationship would last, believing in her companions was enough for her now.
"Ha."
Xu Nuan exhaled softly, trying to relax herself.
But just as she attempted to calm down, the tree that supported her swayed slightly, causing Xu Nuan to scream involuntarily.
"Ah!"
The cry was brief, and Xu Nuan regained her Rationality in just two seconds. She clung tightly to the tree branch, observing the sway of the tree while subtly adjusting her center of gravity, striving to maintain balance with the tree. If she fell into the debris flow, only one fate awaited her: death.
Once she managed to stabilize herself again, Xu Nuan took a moment to assess the situation of others.
The voices reaching her were muffled and fragmented; she couldn't discern what Gu Ze and the others planned to do to rescue her. However, she could see Gu Ze's increasingly anxious expression and, more importantly, the distance between her and the others—specifically, the distance between her and solid ground.
She was at the center of this mudslide.
Xu Nuan fought to suppress her panic.
As she worked to regain her composure, an unexpected event occurred.
The mudslide had residual waves; fluid mixed with boulders surged down from the hillside toward her. All she could do was cling tightly to the tree beside her.
With her eyes closed, holding onto the tree as the debris flow rushed beneath her, she heard Gu Ze's voice clearly.
"Nuan!"
Ugh, not this nickname again.
It was a term only close friends would use.
As her body shook violently, Xu Nuan recalled Gu Ze's words. He had promised to tell her something important after they safely navigated this challenge. She had always believed that this secret was related to the game and to Gu Ze's changes.
She had been eagerly anticipating this revelation, wondering if it aligned with her guesses and whether it would help her in the upcoming game. She longed to hear it with her own ears.
Suddenly, Xu Nuan opened her eyes wide, taking a deep breath. Her hands clung to the tree while her feet alternately stepped on the remnants of wood and stones beneath her, trying to distribute her weight and avoid danger.
Yet, some dangers were unavoidable. A piece of wood came crashing down the slope at a speed and angle that Xu Nuan could not evade.
Her previously injured left shoulder was struck again, causing her to let out a muffled sound. The grip of her left hand on the tree loosened slightly, and this small release allowed the powerful gust of wind created by the impact to pull her outward. The pain in her left hand made her completely let go, and a large part of her body slipped out of the safety zone.
"Hiss."
Her leg, struck by a rock, began to protest as well. Xu Nuan noticed her vision blurring; liquid was trickling down from her forehead, its faint metallic scent quickly whisked away by the wind.
"Ha."
Xu Nuan's breathing grew heavy as she felt her right hand preparing to give up finger by finger. She kicked her legs wildly, determined to hold on just a little longer—at least until they came to rescue her.
As everything around her became increasingly hazy, Xu Nuan realized that her consciousness was fading bit by bit.
Don't fall asleep. If she fell asleep, she would end her journey in dreams.
She bit down hard on her lower lip; the sharp pain brought some clarity. Just as she prepared to make another attempt at self-rescue, a clear and elegant voice reached her ears.
"Warm, just hold on a little longer, I'm coming right away."
The voice was too close. Xu Nuan looked up in surprise, and what met her eyes was Gu Ze, who was tied with a rope around his waist, jumping up and down in the debris flow, searching for any place to land. Of course, due to his weight, he would occasionally sink into the stones, but he would use the objects around him to climb back up and continue moving toward her.
Even though she knew Gu Ze dared to do this because he was certain that if he completely fell into the debris flow, the person standing in a safe area would pull him out with all their strength, Xu Nuan couldn't understand Gu Ze's recklessness at that moment.
"Are you crazy? This is too dangerous!"
She heard her own voice trembling uncontrollably, filled with confusion, emotion, and an overwhelming sense of worry.
If something happened to Gu Ze, even if she survived, her conscience would be troubled. Xu Nuan realized this clearly. She also became aware that what she owed Gu Ze seemed to be increasing, to the point where it might drive her to lose control.
"Heart!"
Xu Nuan screamed again in panic as she saw a huge rock hurtling toward Gu Ze, who was still trying hard to reach her.
Gu Ze barely dodged it; a jagged edge of the stone left a scar on his face, and the faint trickle of blood made Xu Nuan feel dizzy.
Her hollow heart was gradually being filled.
Xu Nuan widened her eyes, determined to remember every movement Gu Ze made as murky liquid and fresh blood slid down her cheek.
"Don't be afraid, nothing will happen. I will definitely get you out."
Gu Ze had made every effort to reach Xu Nuan, and upon noticing her expression and the disarray she was in, his gaze deepened.
"Get on my back; I'll carry you out."
Xu Nuan felt the dryness at the corners of her eyes, likely from not blinking for a long time. Her body instinctively reacted to his words as she clumsily climbed onto Gu Ze's back, wrapping her arms around his neck. The warmth of his breath brought a sense of calm to her restless heart, and the broadness of his back surprisingly made her feel safe.
She forcefully closed her eyes, then suddenly opened them, glancing towards the left where danger lurked. Meanwhile, Gu Ze only needed to focus ahead; the others in the safe zone were pulling on the ropes with all their might.
Carrying someone on his back, Gu Ze couldn't afford to dodge lightly or search for a foothold. He chose the most straightforward method, allowing himself to sink into the rocky flow. Xu Hang and the others became particularly crucial; he and Xu Nuan relied entirely on their strength to escape danger.
The sun above, the distant volcano, and the nearby chaos silently observed these six individuals.
Two were striving, while four were assisting, racing against time for safety.
For the first time, Xu Nuan didn’t find it awkward to be so close to Gu Ze; even their breaths mingled together. Their faces were close yet solemn, devoid of any romantic feelings.
Traversing through this extremely dangerous rocky flow felt like an eternity for Xu Nuan; it was as if a century had passed—an entire lifetime that would take another lifetime to remember.
Finally reaching the safe zone, as soon as her feet touched the ground, she heard Gu Ze's voice.
"She has injuries on her head, hands, and body. Please help bandage her."
"We can handle that without you," came Deng Yinyin's voice.
"You are no better than her. Hurry up and bandage yourself; honestly, you only care about others and not yourself."
"Less talk, just get the medicine. The best outcome is that both of you are fine."
It was Xu Hang's low voice.
"Nuannuan, let me clean up the wound on your head first. If we handle it promptly, it won't leave a scar."
It was Tang Jingshu's voice as she walked in.
"Thank you... thank you both."
Xu Nuan lowered her head and repeated a few words.
But she knew who she really needed to thank.
As Tang Jingshu bandaged her up, she continued to chatter.
"To be honest, when Gu Ze proposed this plan, we were all taken aback. He didn't care whether we agreed or not; he just tied the ropes and left. Xu Hang's face was completely dark at that moment. However, this really was the safest method. Now that both of you are fine, that's truly wonderful."
Xu Nuan forced a smile.
"Is that so? It must have been a very urgent situation back then?"
Deng Yinyin awkwardly took the conversation as she approached with a medicine bottle.
"It's not like your situation is critical. Honestly, you run so slowly. Good thing you knew to hold onto that tree; otherwise, if you got swept away by the mudslide, who knows where you'd end up buried."
"Thanks," Xu Nuan replied, taking the medicine bottle Deng Yinyin handed her without saying much else.
"Just be more careful next time."
Deng Yinyin huffed a few times and turned her gaze in another direction.
Xu Nuan followed her gaze, where three gentlemen were seated. Xu Hang and Xie Huai, one with a pale face and the other with a dark complexion, were fussing over Gu Ze, their hands busy bandaging him.
Gu Ze could only respond with a helpless smile.
When he noticed their gaze, Gu Ze looked over and met Xu Nuan's eyes directly, immediately breaking into a brilliant and unreserved smile.
Xu Nuan bit her lip, feeling a whirlwind of emotions inside her. Unsure of what expression to wear, she glanced up only to see Deng Yinyin blushing, which made her freeze for a moment before lowering her head again.
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